Citizen group Real Choice announced today they will hold a nationwide referendum on the TPPA. Real Choice, under the name Show us Ya Text, previously attempted a citizen’s search and seizure of TPPA documents at MFAT offices in Wellington and an occupation of John Key’s electorate office in Helensville.

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“We will set up a secure online voting platform and will have volunteers to set up polling stations around the country to collect votes during polling week.This is too important to be left up to a small group of MPs to decide, and they should put it to a binding referendum vote.”

“If the government really believes in democracy, it would put this agreement to the test and allow its constituents to have a say on this incredibly important issue. We’re giving Kiwis the chance to show the government we want a say on the TPPA. We want real choice, because that would be real choice”, said Sullivan.

Its an interesting idea, and while I'm not sure that the technology is quite there yet, one with potential. If the government won't hold a referendum on something because it is afraid of the public expressing its opinion, then we can just hold our own! Of course, it has no legal effect - but neither do referendums under the Citizens Initiated Referenda Act 1993. But it can still send a message.

Of course, "sending a message" isn't enough - we need to get the government to listen. And the real problem here is that successive governments have refused to act on referenda as a point of principle. And that arrogant attitude of politicians is what really needs to change. And until it does, the public will continue to treat MPs with contempt.